Juan Soto did not finish their June 6 game against the Minnesota Twins after feeling discomfort in his left forearm. After the game, New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone told the media that the four-time Silver Slugger Award winner has been feeling the condition for the past week.
After the rain delay during the Yankees-Twins game, Alex Verdugo covered left field while Aaron Judge replaced Soto's typical position (right field). The Venezuelan slugger also admitted to the media that the discomfort doesn't affect him when throwing or hitting.
Juan Soto:
— Fireside Yankees (@FiresideYankees) June 7, 2024
"It doesn't hurt me when I throw or when I'm hitting"
pic.twitter.com/cxgOQ7B782
While Soto did not register a hit in their 8-5 victory over Minnesota, he's still batting an impressive .318/.424/.603, proving that the discomfort hasn't affected his performance. His batting average leads the American League, while his on-base percentage leads all MLB players.
Imaging of the injured forearm will determine the condition's severity. Multiple possibilities exist for his condition, from tendonitis to flexor tear and UCL injury. Each situation has a corresponding treatment and recovery period that may affect Soto's playing time this season.
Before the forearm discomfort, Soto was relatively durable. In 2023, he played all 162 regular-season games for the San Diego Padres. He played 153 games the year before, split between the Padres and the Washington Nationals.
He only played below 100 games once (2020) when he suited up for 47 during the COVID-shortened season.
-Lance Fernandez